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ACADEMIC AFFAIRS study in regular courses, and a senior honors thesis or major thesis. A total of nine such Honors Experiences are required. Students in the HPY are selected on the basis of high school performance, and SAT scores. Superior transfer students are encouraged to request permission to enter the program. Honors students are able to take part in a variety of intellectual, artistic, service, and community-building events organized by the student-run Honors Council. Students must complete nine Honors Experiences, complete a senior thesis, achieve a GPA of at least 3.5, in addition to other requirements detailed in Honors Program literature, to graduate with Mercyhurst Honors. THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM The International Baccalaureate Program (IB) is a two-year pre-university course designed for high school juniors and seniors who are able and interested in challenging reading, thinking, and writing. The IB program is comprehensive, adhering to worldwide standards, and is designed to provide students with a balanced education. It includes all the main liberal arts disciplines: languages, social sciences, experimental sciences, mathematics, and humanities.
6.
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS That the faculty member who is directing the off-campus experience and the supervisor who is commenting on the specific strengths and weaknesses develop a written evaluation and place it in the student’s senior placement file in the Carrer Development Center;
7. That students receiving off-campus learning experience credit pay the published rate; 8.
That off-campus learning experience courses are considered part of the 45 credits (excluding laboratory credits taken in conjunction with a course) in a major program only when such experience is required by the department;
9. That no more than 12 credit hours in off-campus learning experiences are granted to any student unless specifically approved by the internship director and the Office for Academic Affairs; 10. That off-campus learning experience courses are used to meet Core requirements only upon approval of the department director and the Office of Academic Affairs;
Successful completion of the program earns for the student a diploma recognized for university admission throughout the world.
11. The basis for grading off-campus learning experience courses is left to the discretion of the individual department and/or the internship director;
Mercyhurst University recognizes graduates of this program by awarding both credit and placement for specific scores on the IB examinations. For credit to be awarded, students must earn a score of 5 or above on the standard exam and a score of 4 or above on the higher level exam.
12.
OFF-CAMPUS LEARNING EXPERIENCE Off-campus learning experience is that mode which results from non-classroom experiences such as student teaching, internships, independent studies off-campus, and approved travel-study tours. It is recognized that, because off-campus learning is a valuable and desirable supplement to the more structured theoretical learning of the classroom setting, formal academic credit may be selectively awarded only if all the following conditions are fulfilled: 1. That all learning experiences are directly related to an existing curriculum area at Mercyhurst and that they embody the essential principles and practices formally taught in that area; 2. That the learning experiences are of sufficient length to provide significant and realistic experience (a minimum of 200 hours but no more than 275 hours are required to receive 3 credits); 3.
That the learning experiences reflect an active participatory rather than a passive observatory role (75 percent of the total hours accumulated must be in an active participatory role); that the intern(s) and faculty member(s) directing the learning experience communicate in the best way possible (e.g., personal conference, seminar, written report) on at least a bi-monthly basis, which may be included in the minimum hours required;
4.
That the student must file and have approved a written application with the appropriate faculty member, department director, and the Office of Academic Affairs prior to the field-based experience to receive credit. The intern must be formally evaluated during the learning experience by a faculty member Written evidence of regular evaluation by the immediate supervisor (e.g., cooperating teacher, coop/internship coordinator) must be shown;
5. That the student is required to present a critique of the learning experience in the form of a paper to the faculty member(s) or an oral presentation to a relevant class;
In cases such as exchange programs where program guidelines are dictated by another institution, Mercyhurst students will be exempted from the regulations concerning off-campus learning experiences with the consent of the appropriate faculty members, the department director, and the Office for Academic Affairs. Off-campus learning experiences are graded on a Pass-Fail basis.
INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS The internship program is coordinated by counselors in the Career Development Center. In nearly every academic major, students can apply concepts learned in the classroom at an appropriate company/organization where qualified placements have been established. For every three credits of internship that students are registered, they must complete a minimum of 200 hours in the field. Depending on the major, students can earn up to 12 undergraduate academic credits of internship. Recent surveys of Mercyhurst graduates indicate that those who complete an internship receive more job offers and higher starting salaries than those who did not complete an internship. TYPES OF PLACEMENTS Internships can be full-time, part-time or summer placements. A full-time placement allows a student to be placed for a period of 10 to 30 weeks. Part-time placements are typically 10 to 15 weeks in length and are often done during the course of the normal academic calendar. Summer placements allow students to work part-time or full-time with an organization; the number of hours is dependent on the student’s/ organization’s needs. Students interested in completing an internship must attend an information session and complete an internship application form. Student applications must be signed/ approved by the student’s academic advisor and department director. Zero Credit Option: Students wishing to complete an internship experience without having to earn academic credit can now enroll in this option. A zero credit internship appears on the transcript like a credit bearing experience. Contact an Internship Counselor in the CDC for additional details. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS Lake Erie University of Osteopathic Medicine 3+4 Accelerated Program in Medicine Mercyhurst University and the Lake Erie University of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
2013-2014 Mercyhurst University Course Catalog • www.mercyhurst.edu